1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a piezoelectric type of gaslighter, particularly such a gaslighter equipped with a locking means to prevent undesired ignition.
2. Related Arts
As is well known, a piezoelectric type of gaslighter has an ignition unit and a thumb-operated lever operatively connected both to said ignition unit and to a gas ejection nozzle. The ignition unit comprises a piezo element and a striker, and the gas ejection nozzle communicates with the gas well in the gaslighter housing. The thumb-operated lever is slidably mounted in the gaslighter housing. When the thumb-operated lever is pushed down to a lower position by the thumb, a gas ejection nozzle is made to open, and at the same time, the striker applies a striking force to the piezoelectric element to generate a voltage high enough to ignite the gas ejection nozzle.
The descent of the thumb pusher automatically causes ignition of the gas ejection nozzle. Therefore, it is feared that there could be accidental flame-striking while children are playing with gaslighters, in which children may suffer a burn or a fire may start.
In an attempt to avoid such an accident, a piezoelectric gaslighter equipped with a locking means to prevent undesired flame striking was proposed, for instance in Japanese Utility Model No. 62-180251 (A) or No. 62-180253 (A). This type of piezoelectric gaslighter comprises a gaslighter housing having a windshield and a flame-striking thumb-pusher adjacent to the windshield; and a stopper slidably fitted on the flame-striking thumb-pusher. The forward end of the slidable stopper stays above the windshield mount, causing the forward end of the stopper to be caught by the windshield mount when one attempts to lower the flame-striking thumb-pusher without pulling back the stopper, thereby preventing the descent of the thumb-pusher for flame-striking. Once the gaslighter has been unlocked by withdrawing the stopper, the gaslighter will remain unlocked unless the stopper is pushed forward to the locking position in which the forward end of the stopper stays above the windshield mount. Therefore, the gaslighter often remains unlocked. In addition, the gaslighter can accidentally become unlocked while being carried.